Lords move to appoint Standards Commissioner

25 May 2010

Lord Brabazon of Tara, Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords, tabled a motion inviting the House to agree to the appointment of Paul Kernaghan, former Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary, as the Lords’ first Commissioner for Standards.

The position of the independent Lords Commissioner for Standards is enshrined in the new Lords Code of Conduct – which sets out rules on Members’ expenses, interests and employment – adopted by the House at the start of the new Parliament on 18 May.

The Commissioner will investigate alleged breaches of the Code, including breaches of the rules governing financial support available to Members and the use of parliamentary facilities.

The appointment of the Commissioner and the new Code of Conduct are part of the wider reforms of governance structures in the House of Lords to ensure they meet public expectations of clarity, transparency and integrity.

The motion to appoint Paul Kernaghan will take place in the House of Lords on Wednesday 2 June.